Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry were two cornerstones upon which the Golden State Warriors built a dynasty, and the end of their reign happened just as organically.
Anthony Slater of The Athletic authored a deep dive into the years-long process that resulted in Thompson’s choice to leave the Bay Area for $50 million from the Dallas Mavericks after 13 years with the franchise that brought him into the NBA.
“It’s been a layered five-year path to this divorce, splintering last season, sprouting earlier and finalizing in the last couple weeks, where — among the conversations Thompson had, league sources said — was a request of Stephen Curry not to exert his significant organizational influence and up the temperature with management to ensure Thompson’s return,” Slater wrote on Tuesday, July 2. “Curry’s measured voice, even if it altered the outcome, wouldn’t change the genuineness of [owner] Joe Lacob and the front office’s true desire to have Thompson back.”
Klay Thompson’s Ultimate Departure From Golden State Began 5 Years Ago With ACL Injury
GettyKlay Thompson, formerly of the Golden State Warriors.
Thompson tore his ACL during the 2019 NBA Finals, the Dubs’ fifth consecutive appearance, which his team ultimately lost to the Toronto Raptors.
Roughly one month later, Golden State inked Thompson to a five-year contract worth nearly $190 million. Several months after that, when Thompson was close to finished with the rehabilitation to his knee, the shooting guard suffered an Achilles tendon tear.
All told, Thompson missed approximately two and a half full seasons due to the devastating back-to-back injuries. He returned halfway through the 2021-22 campaign and helped the Warriors win the fourth title of the Curry/Thompson era. That said, Thompson never returned to the type of two-way superstar he’d been prior to his ACL tear in the summer of 2019.
Thompson averaged nearly 18 points per game and shot nearly 39% from behind the 3-point line on 9.0 attempts per contest last year, but his offensive versatility and defensive prowess on the perimeter are shadows of what they were during his prime when he made five consecutive All-Star Games.
Slater detailed how the Warriors front office kept Thompson at arm’s length in terms of contract negotiations leading up to his decision to bolt for another franchise — a choice Thompson made long before it become official Monday.
“The substantial relationship fracturing that led to this split points the microscope at upper management,” Slater wrote. “Controlling owner Joe Lacob led a front-office effort to take a cold, mostly uncommunicative approach to Thompson’s next contract in his three summers of extension eligibility, team sources said, which isn’t separate from their norm.”
Stephen Curry Authors Heartfelt Goodbye to Klay Thompson on Instagram
GettyStephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and his former teammate Klay Thompson.
The front office’s approach, while perhaps the norm for the organization, is not the norm for Thompson, which Slater noted. And after the Warriors failed to make Thompson’s extension their top priority in either of the past two summers, his choice to leave “became easy.”
“Many league sources said Thompson’s decision to depart was unofficially made weeks ago,” Slater wrote.
Thompson’s backcourt teammate felt his departure intensely. Curry posted a series of photos of himself and Thompson, oftentimes with Draymond Green as well, to the story on his personal Instagram account on Tuesday. Near the end of the series of posts, Curry penned a message to his backcourt partner of 13 years.
The NBA Central account shared a screenshot of Curry’s message to Thompson via X on Tuesday afternoon.
“Gonna miss you @klaythompson,” Curry posted to Instagram on Tuesday. “Even though we won’t finish the journey together, what we did will never be done again. Couldn’t have imagined a better run with you and @money23green. Changed the whole Bay Area. Changed the way the game is played. Killa Klay at the center of it all. Thank you for everything, bro. Go enjoy playing basketball and doing what you do. Splash Bros 4 life, my guy.”
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